Original subtitles

I see.

This is the last tournament for the third-years.

The moment we lose, they're done with the team.

You're going in next inning, Sawamura.

You're ready, right?

Y-Yes, sir!

Official Game Debut

A fifteen-run difference after four innings.

Seido's switching their pitchers already.

Is that a first-year southpaw?

At this rate, it looks like their ace, Tanba, won't be coming out.

Hasunuma!

He throws way slower than the last guy.

Keep your eyes on the ball!

Yeah.

This is...

...our last game, right?

Hasunuma...

Seido Maimon

I get that they're strong,

but we haven't gotten a single hit yet.

Stay calm.

I'll allow two runs!

Any more, and you're dead!

We're not looking for humor here.

One out at a time, Sawamura-chan!

Yes, sir!

Balls will go flying, so thank you for defending!

Ignore

Furuya!

You say something, too!

It's the perfect time to bring Sawamura out.

I have nothing but respect for you.

Is he going to be okay?

Hasunuma!

Be aggressive!

Only think about swinging like you practiced!

Put your entire three years on the line!

Come on, Hasunuma!

Coach...

You've got this, Hasunuma!

I know you'll hit it!

You can do it!

This is the difference...

...between us, who are just trying to win as many games as we can,

and those who are seriously aiming for the nationals.

Hit it!

I thought I could catch them off guard,

but I was underestimating our opponent.

Hit it, Hasunuma!

Yeah!

Swing from the first pitch!

Don't lose!

Be aggressive!

Let's at least get a run!

Let's show them what we've got!

Hasunuma, hit it!

Let's go!

Hit it!

Hit it!

S-So much cheering...

Everyone's here with the same gravity.

All the third-years are putting everything into this tournament.

Coach...

Guys...

Let's do this!

Play.

Don't let it get to you, Sawamura.

This is what the summer tournament is like.

Ow...

But that was lucky.

All right!

That's our first man on base!

That pitcher's nothing special!

I'm sorry.

He's really nervous!

Excuse me. Time out.

Stop being so tense!

Hey, be more discreet.

Want another one?

Want us to kick you off the mound?

I'm not leaving!

I'm the only one who can get us out of this pinch.

Pinch?

Like you're one to talk.

What the?

He's his usual self.

Kawakami!

Get Kawakami!

Hey, Coach!

You have speed today, so I'm not worried.

But you're too tense.

Stop trying to use your head and just look at my mitt.

Pitching to contact is your style, isn't it?

Balls will go flying a lot, so be prepared!

I told you to relax.

And don't talk so casually.

After we get back, we're sparring.

I'm ashamed...

I've found an opening!

I can't let this chance go to waste!

Hey, Coach Chiba's looking energetic again.

Though he's moving way too much.

A bunt?

They need to hit to close this huge gap.

Say what you will.

We'll use our chance to score, one run at a time.

That's the baseball we've practiced for three years.

We have to score a run.

We have a huge lead.

Why do you think the coach put you on the mound this inning?

As the opponents do whatever it takes to score,

how will you pitch?

The coach is serious about training you guys in the games.

Win or lose.

That's the kind of game we're playing.

So long as I've been asked to stand here,

I can't lose heart!

His form...

Where's his arm?

That was fast.

Sawamura!

Second base!

I want to play...

...as many games as possible with this team!

I want to get stronger...

...with the team!

The first-year roared!

He's good at fielding.

Yes!

Yes! Yes! Yes!

How long's he gonna do that?

Someone stop him...

He was able to check the runner before throwing.

Don't worry.

Sawamura is calm.

Oh, is that so?

Two outs!

It wouldn't be like him to not overtly show his emotions.

Seido Maimon

Top of the 5th 1 Out, Runners on 2nd and 3rd

First pitch.

The first-years are making aggressive plays this year.

Nice hit, Harucchi!

Or should I say, bold plays.

All right.

I'll be right behind you!

You just got switched for a pinch hitter!

Go back to the dugout!

Sawamura-chan, let's go back.

It's...

...my turn next, so don't get in my way.

D-Damn it!

Ignore

You sure talk big for striking out!

Coach, send me out as pinch hitter in his place!

Municipal Stadium

I will gladly meet your high expectations!

Just be quiet.

Same Time Tachikawa Municipal Stadium

Ichidai Jitsusen

Ichidai Third High is strong!

They didn't get to the quarterfinal at the invitational by luck.

Nice pitch, Manaka!

Nice pitch, Manaka!

He's putting good spin on his throws.

The batters can't help swinging at his low sliders.

Ichidai Third High is matching up with Seido at the semifinal, right?

Who do you think'll win?

I think Ichidai Third High is the favorite.

But you can't ignore the Seido batters.

Ichidai Third High took the fall,

but Seido won the hitting battle in the spring.

Who'll take the final round of this close one-on-one battle?

Man, I can't wait to see it.

Who's gonna take it?

Manaka boy, perfect.

Thanks.

Using Manaka boy in the spring tournaments

with his fatigue from the invitational

was my mistake as the coach.

But Manaka boy has grown tremendously after he lost that day.

We'll have revenge for the spring, Seido High School.

Strike! Batter out!

Game set!

We got through with just those three!

Yes!

Kawakami-kun, nice pitch!

It's already over after five innings?

Please line up.

Bow!

Thank you!

Good luck, you guys.

You'd better go to the nationals!

We have no regrets from a loss like this.

Hey.

First-years, you, too.

Good luck.

The losing team...

...is cheering on the winning team?

O-Of course...

These guys were aiming for the nationals, just like us.

Yes, sir!

I'll do everything I can!

I'll play for you guys, too,

so please continue your support!

Thank you for playing for three years!

Thank you!

It was a crucial first game,

and you were both too tense.

Sawamura.

The double play was nice,

but the two walks you gave away immediately after were unnecessary.

Furuya.

If we continue to win,

our opponents will have done their research.

The way you pitched today won't work.

Do you know what "control" means?

Don't make noises in the bullpen.

It's annoying.

What if the batter had been Alex Cabrera?

But I got the outs...

Their batters have improved a great deal since the spring,

and their ace, Manaka-kun, seemed to be in top-notch condition.

The match against Ichidai

will be decided by how much our pitchers can improve by then.

We have two more games before then.

First, we have to win the next game.

Hello.

You dominated the first game.

Congratulations, Principal.

Though I didn't watch the game.

Let's hope you can keep it up and easily get to nationals.

They're already practicing after the game today?

Why not let them rest today?

The boys are practicing on their own.

We've only taken the first step of a long journey.

We don't have any player who gets elated from winning one game.

Hey, isn't he the one?

H-He isn't like how he was on the mound.

But he was really amazing!

I'm positive everyone will know him in the future.

Then maybe I'll cheer him on privately.

Hey, no fair!

I found him first!

Hey, look.

He has the number 19 uniform.

He's so cute!

He looks like a girl!

S-Sawamura-kun, you're making weird noises again!

His eyes are open, and he's smiling for some reason.

The sound changed.

Game tomorrow, right?

We'll go cheer you on!

Tetsu, hit a home run!

Masuko, your stomach's growling.

Howl, Isashiki!

The Spitz of Seido—

Sorry!

Good luck, baseball team!

Tetsu-san!

You'd better go to nationals this year!

They're fighting again?

But they're always together.

They don't have any friends.

Throw cautiously as you check how it feels.

Once your shoulder's warmed up, let Miyuki sit and throw.

Yes, sir.

A month since the accident,

and he's finally back in the bullpen.

When Tanba-san was in junior high,

he was the reliever for Manaka-san, the ace at Ichidai, right?

When the coach said to come back by the game against them,

that must have been the reason.

Tanba-san, one more!

Nice throw!

It's slowly looking better!

It's nowhere near as good as before the accident.

But...

...it's the ace number he finally got

after going his separate way.

I can tell from his pitch

that this tournament means a lot to him.

Two games until the quarterfinal.

We can't lose.

So hot...

It's really humid.

Did you see that?

My new, evolved fastball!

It's too high.

Don't make me repeat myself.

Did you teach him how to grip the ball?

Yes.

I only taught him the basic four-seam.

Four-seam

Four-seam, a basic way of throwing a fastball

by putting your fingers on the seam in four places.

This!

Sawamura's been throwing without thinking about the grip.

Learn today

Devote every moment

Four-seam?

Is he an American rapper?

With his flexible joints, soft fingertips,

and the random ways he grips the ball,

his moving fastball is born.

In the Kokudokan game, when I catching,

the pitch he threw that struck out Zaizen...

...was probably a coincidental four-seamer.

To Sawamura, it's a straight fastball.

In other words, it's another type of moving for him.

In the future,

I'm hoping he'll be a pitcher who can move his pitch at will.

Sorry.

I can't imagine him doing that at all right now.

Hopefully, in the very long run.

I'm done with the run, Chris-senpai.

Then warm up your shoulders and come to the bullpen.

You should be able to throw without any extra strength now.

I see.

So that's what it was for.

Maybe you should run before a game, too.

It may be too much to ask from a first-year,

but we need you in order to win this summer.

Tanba won't be back for a while,

so you're the ace in the meantime.

Good luck.

July 20

Summer Tournament Round 3 Seido vs Murata East Chigusa vs Yamato Higashi Kamiyama vs Akikawa

Round 3 Seido vs Murata East

Murata East Seido

You idiot! Stop going all out!

He seriously won't listen to anything I say.

You're not gonna last, you know?

Warm

Yes, I will.

Because I'm the ace.

Damn him.

He's gotten even more cocky after being told he was the ace.

Yeah, Furuya.

He's a first-year pitcher for Seido.

He's a real monster!

He's nothing special.

He just throws as hard as he can without any pacing.

The baseball of this country that I admired...

...was at a much more intricate and high level.

You look pumped, Furuya.

You're throwing well.

I don't care about a pitcher who just throws fast.

There are other Seido pitchers to worry about.

Chris-senpai, who is he?

Shunshing Yeung, an exchange student from Taiwan.

He's the ace of Akikawa Academy.

An exchange student?

Next time on Ace of the Diamond: Precision Machine.

Precision Machine

Let's win the national title!